Blue Moon: Legend of the Curse Chronicles
by Crysalice Bell
Summary: Accdg. to legend in a parallel world,a Blue Moon child can't love or be loved;disaster will happen.Ryoma,such a child,struggles through life w/out love.But in a journey to help an amnesiac guy he saves,he may also find what he's missing... Pillar Pair
1. Moonrise

Hi everyone! This is CrystalKitteN-MeW (Crys for short) and here with another story to boot!

And… it's a Fantasy/Romance story!

I know I'm multi-tasking (I've got 3 other stories) but I couldn't resist publishing this story after it entered my mind. It came after I pondered over my other story Once in a Blue Moon.

This is a chronicle story so it will be quite long. I hope you enjoy it!

**SUMMARY: According to legend in a parallel world, a child born under the Blue Moon can't love or be loved or disaster will happen. Ryoma, a child born such, struggles through life alone, without love. But in a journey to find the roots of an amnesiac guy he saves, he may also find what he is missing.**

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**Bold- **English

_Italics-_ Flashback

'Dialogue'- Thoughts

"Dialogue"- Spoken Dialogue

Disclaimer: I don't own Prince of Tennis.

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**Blue Moon: Legend of the Curse Chronicles**

'_**In the alternate world of Dodewel, when the moon becomes the color of the clear morning sky, it will reflect its beam on a child and bestow its powers of wonder. As such, the chosen must not love nor be loved with opposition, for aggravated emotional attachments and interference can break the link of control and anger. The cursed Blue Moon child controls the thin line of destruction & peace…'**_

**CHAPTER 1: Moonrise**

Up in the high night sky, a very bright full moon glowed.

It shone over the alternate world of Dodewel lies in a dimension parallel to Earth. It's a world where people have no powers. However, what keeps the world continuously alive is the power of 12 gemstones, with which there are 12 kingdoms named such. These gemstones all contain a mysterious power unique to each and the people have a shard of each which they use in their everyday life.

Soldiers equip the jewels in their weapons; ordinary working people make use of them too. It was a necessity, and every person has one which they wear around their necks like a pendant.

Currently, the moon shone the brightest in a village kingdom located in front of a mountain. Some people were still awake, as shown by the open lights.

Inside an ordinary house in the village is a woman in labor. She was having some difficulties though and was barely gasping for breath. Her husband stood nearby worriedly.

"N-nan-jirou…" she whispered.

"You can do it, Rinko…" he encouraged.

She gave another whimper of pain and the midwife was doing all she can although it was not helping too much.

Meanwhile, by the open window in the room, one can see the unusually bright full moon dim and flash lightly before it was obscured by a thick cloud.

Behind the cloud, an intense flash of light disrupted the black sky.

The cloud slowly moved away, revealing the bright moon which was, now, shining in a blue hue instead.

Some people looked up at the sky and panicked, shouting, "Oh no! It's… the Blue Moon!"

"The Blue Moon!? Everyone, hide! It's the cursed moon!"

And so, there was a scrambling of people trying to get back inside their stone houses while some hurriedly closed their windows.

The Blue Moon shone ominously in the sky, as if merging with the black darkness of the night sky, yet still shining like a light. It gave off another flash and a beam emerged, directed towards the village like a searchlight.

However, the beam finally rested on the house where the woman in labor earlier had just given birth.

The midwife smiled, "It's a healthy baby boy."

Rinko smiled weakly.

But the beam suddenly zoomed in from the open window and rested on the newborn baby, engulfing the infant in an intense ball of transparent blue light and floated.

Nanjirou shouted, "Oh no! What is happening!?"

The midwife looked out the window. "It's the Blue Moon's beam!"

"THE BLUE MOON!?"

Rinko looked shocked. Then she began gasping for breath unnaturally. The midwife hurriedly approached and tried to calm her down but her ceaseless huffing wouldn't stop.

Meanwhile, the baby surrounded by the aura of the Blue Moon remained floating in the air. After another blinding flare however, the beam slowly dimmed and the baby landed gently on the bed. What was different was, the baby had a pendant but what dangled from it was not an ordinary gemstone but a 12-pointed star with a blue orb floating inside.

Outside, a thick cloud hid the ill-omened Blue Moon again, and after a flash and the cloud moved away slowly, the moon was back to its normal grandeur.

Rinko looked at her child who was sleeping peacefully. "R-ryoma…" After she said his name, she gave a silent gasp and closed her eyes before falling back on the covers.

Nanjirou stared incredulously. "Rinko?" He whispered her name but she didn't respond. "Rinko!" He shouted again but she remained lifeless.

The midwife checked Rinko's pulse and shook her head. "She's dead."

"N-no… You're lying… She can't be dead, she can't be!"

"I'm sorry but there's nothing I can do," the midwife said sadly.

Nanjirou rushed over to Rinko's side and held her now cold hand. He let go of her hand and buried his face in his hands.

The midwife went over to the baby and wrapped him in a blanket. "I'm sorry to say this too… but it appears that… your child… is a cursed Blue Moon child."

"A cursed Blue Moon child?" Nanjirou looked up.

"Yes… He got hit by the beam of the Blue Moon…" But she was interrupted by Nanjirou shouting…

"My wife is dead and my child is cursed!? This can't be!!! NOOO!!"

The child, still asleep, was oblivious to the burden of his future.

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Fifteen years later…

A short black-green haired boy, seated on a branch of a tree and leaning against the trunk, wearing a plain white shirt with a blue vest, long green pants and low brown boots, slowly opened his eyes to stare at the vast night sky.

The bright moon reflected very well his unique golden eyes. It looked spectacular but to the people of the village, his eyes were nothing but a sign of evil.

For that boy's golden eyes were proof that he was a cursed Blue Moon child.

Yes, that's right, he was cursed.

He sighed as his hand reached up to his neck to take out the gem of his necklace which he hid under his shirt.

The 12-pointed star twinkled under the beam of the moon above. The floating blue orb inside glowed and dimmed continuously, as though it was alive and communicating with the boy holding it.

The boy stared at it for a long time before concealing it inside his shirt again.

Then he looked out at the quiet village, not far from the forest where he was. Despite the beauty of his pendant, the people of that village see it as nothing but a gem of destruction.

Furthermore, when they see him, they treat him like a foreigner or even an enemy, even though he came from that village too!

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_The young boy was huddled in front of a bed, crying. He appeared to be 5 years old and right in front of him was his very own father, nearing death._

_The doctor could nothing to heal him._

_His sickness came about after his long bout of depression over the death of his wife whose name was Rinko._

"_Rinko…" the sick man, Nanjirou, whispered._

_Even in the face of death, he thought of nothing but his wife, rather than his still living child who was cursed by the Blue Moon._

_It's not that he hated his son. What made it so bad was that his wife gave birth to his son, only to have him be cursed._

_This situation caused him depression until he became terminally ill._

_And now…_

_Nanjirou gave his last breath._

_He died._

_The doctor hung his head in sorrow. The little boy cried even louder and shook his father's dress. "Oyaji!"_

"_We're sorry, Ryoma…" the doctor said gravely._

_Ryoma's tears continued to flow from his sad golden eyes. "Oyaji!!!"_

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_Little 6-year-old Ryoma stood in front of his father's grave. There were other people who came to pay their respects too, since Nanjirou was a respected soldier of the kingdom._

_However, Ryoma stayed the longest in front of the grave, crying and sniffing quietly. When night came he walked alone back to the town. But he was surprised to see all the townspeople gathered in the middle of town._

_The elder of the village slowly approached the young boy. "Ryoma-kun…"_

_He looked up._

"_We're sorry but… you can't stay in the village any longer."_

"_Eh? Why?"_

"_You are a cursed child… And since no one is around to keep you in control anymore, you have to leave. We can't have destruction come to the village…"_

_Ryoma stared, shocked. Crying, he ran into the forest with the people sadly looking at him go._

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Ever since that day, no one wanted to approach him. Though he goes to the village sometimes, they either ignore him or shoo him away.

Because of this treatement, he became a cold, anti-social boy who mostly spent his time in the forest near the kingdom named Old Pine Forest.

He wondered as he looked at the towering waterfall nearby, 'Will my life remain as dark as the night sky like this?'

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Up at the cliff where the waterfall drops…

A silhouette runs in the darkness of the night, pursued by at least three more figures.

One of the chasers spoke, "Shoot… We've been tailing him for months… We can't let him get away!"

The running silhouette, however, stops, when he realizes that he has reached a dead end. A drop towards the waterfall, or capture under his hunters.

He opted for the first option and jumped headfirst in the waterfall. The pursuers were shocked at his act. They stopped at the edge of the cliff.

One said, "Is he crazy? He plunged straight into Dewdrop Falls!"

His companion asked, "You think he's still alive?"

"Probably not. No one can survive that." He gritted his teeth. "This is not good news. Let's go."

The three disappeared in the darkness of the night.

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Down the waterfall…

The figure struggled for air underneath the water.

However, the force of the falls' current pushed him until he hit his head on a huge rock.

Pain instantly shot through his skull. Something like an electric current rushed through his head. Then everything went black.

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Ryoma was staring absent-mindedly at the night sky when a splash in the Dewdrop Falls caught his attention.

Quickly, he jumped down the tree and rushed to the water's edge. He scanned the water with his mysterious golden eyes until he saw something odd on the water current.

He jumped in the small river connected to the end of the waterfall, and rushed over to the figure. He took hold of the body and swam back to shore.

Dripping wet, he pulled the body away from the water's edge and looked at it. It was a guy and by the looks of it, he had a head injury.

Ryoma stared at the person he just saved.

'Who is he?'

To be continued…

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**Yay! So how was it for a first chapter?**

**Guys, I need help!**

**You see, I can't decide whether I should make this a Pillar Pair (TezukaxRyoma) fic or Thrill Pair (FujixRyoma) fic. You see, I've tested the plotline with these pairs in my mind for the story plot and they both fit well but of course only one can prevail. And also, whoever Ryoma's paired up with has a huge impact on the story. So it's up to your votes now. Is it…**

**Pillar Pair**

**Thrill Pair**

**A week to go everyone, which is when I will update the second chapter. As of now, just vote for the pairing.**

**Also, does anyone k now where I can find a list of the birthdays of the players (not including Seigaku)? If there isn't a site or such, will someone tell me instead please? It HAS something to do with this story. Thank you very much!**

**See ya in the next chapter!**

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	2. Fluidity

Hi to all! As I, Crys, promised, this is the 2nd chapter of Blue Moon: Legend of the Curse Chronicles!

Back in the 1st chapter, I posted a poll (in the story not in my profile) about what the pairing will be; a choice between Pillar Pair or Thrill Pair. You'll find out in this chapter WHY IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT.

Aww… I'm so glad that many people reviewed; this has been so far the biggest number of reviews I received in one chapter.

Okay, the voting ended on March 14, 2008, so any votes after that will not be included anymore. Here are the shocking results:

**Pillar Pair-14**

**Thrill Pair-13**

I was stunned at the very close fight between the two but only one will prevail… dan da da dan… PILLAR PAIR WINS!!!

To all who voted Pillar Pair, you get your wish!

To all who voted Thrill Pair, I'm sorry but majority wins. Don't worry, if your patient enough, the story will develop and Fuji happens to be a major character here too. Even if this story doesn't contain your favorite pairing and you still read it because you think it's interesting, I'm glad for that and thank you.

THIS IS IMPORTANT: THEY DON'T HAVE SURNAMES HERE. So Ryoma will just be Ryoma, Tezuka, the same and so on and so forth. I had to write this here because you will certainly get confused if I didn't explain this. This will have something to do with the story!

Enough with the chitchat, on we go!

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**Bold- **English

_Italics-_ Flashback

'Dialogue'- Thoughts

"Dialogue"- Spoken Dialogue

Disclaimer: I don't own Prince of Tennis.

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**Blue Moon: Legend of the Curse Chronicles**

**CHAPTER 2: Fluidity**

Drip… Drip…

Water droplets continued to trickle from the ends of Ryoma's green hair and down to the ground like dewdrops, fitting for the place where he is near now.

Dewdrop Falls.

This waterfall, located inside Old Pine Forest, was the source of water for the villagers nearby.

But one could wonder… why would such a towering waterfall be named with something as gentle as a drop of dew?

As the moon reached its highest peak in the sky, the flow of the rapids slowly declined until the water only appeared to be indeed dripping like dew.

Ryoma, however, paid no attention to the drastic change in the waterfall. Obviously, he knew about it since he was not surprised due to the fact that he had lived in the forest for almost half of his life now.

He turned his attention back to the person he rescued. The person was dripping wet like he was but what's bad was that he had a head injury.

His hands parted the guy's soft brown hair apart in order to better see the injury more. There was no blood; apparently, the injury was internal.

He set the guy's head on his lap and took a careful look around. Seeing no one or nothing, he took out his pendant and palmed it out. He waited for the moonlight to fall on it. Once it did, the pendant glowed in a beautiful blue-white light. The orb inside shone brightly while different colors flickered on the tips of the star. The light engulfed his hand, appearing to have transferred as it was now his hand that shone while his pendant returned to what it was like before.

He hid the necklace inside his shirt while he placed his glowing hand on top of the guy's injury.

Instantly, like magic, the wound was healed. Ryoma took a deep breath and removed his hand.

Unlike the gemstones of the villagers which could only be equipped to their possessions, his was very powerful and furthermore, could be directed to his body, giving him powers and such.

This was one of the mysteries brought about by being a Blue Moon child.

He then looked at the guy now seemingly peacefully sleeping whose head was on his lap. Curious, he moved the guy's brown hair that was blocking his face onto the side of his head.

At the sight of his face, Ryoma felt a strange sensation rise up in his chest, coupled with the increased pace of the beating of his heart and heat rising to his cheeks.

'Wh-what is this feeling?'

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The three figures that were pursuing the guy Ryoma saved now ran in the darkness of the night.

The one on the right, who appeared to be a short guy, muttered, "What are we going to do about this?"

His companion beside him answered, "No idea. Do you?"

He was interrupted by the guy running in the lead and who appeared to be the leader, who said, "Don't worry! We'll regroup for the time being then we'll check if he's still alive. HE will not be pleased though…"

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'Wh-where am I?'

… …

'Why is it so dark? Is it… nighttime?'

… …

I open my eyes slightly. It was nighttime indeed as the moon was shining brightly high up in the sky.

I turn my head a bit and it hurts a bit. What happened to me?

I shift in my lying position and I could feel that my head was resting on somebody's lap. I look up at whoever it was.

Mesmerizing golden eyes stared at the moon, reflecting its light in a mysterious effect.

He seems so lonely and mystifying, yet one can't deny the fact that he's…

Beautiful.

No, he was obviously a boy. But he looked so striking, being bathed in the moonlight like this.

His light golden eyes were very well-accentuated by his short green hair. It was like a vision of an angel.

'Wh-who is this person?'

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Ryoma yawned as he rested his back on a tree trunk. It must be late now and he still hasn't gotten to sleep. He was supposed to doze off earlier but it was interrupted when he saved the guy who was now sleeping with his head on his lap.

He looked down at the guy and swore for a second that the guy was awake and looking at him. But when he blinked again, he was asleep. Maybe he just imagined it.

His eyelids slowly drooped until sleep overtook him.

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(A/N: The character using the first person point-of-view is obviously the guy so please wait for me to introduce him here)

I almost got caught looking at him. It's a good thing I closed my eyes quickly.

But… where am I really and what happened to me?

I try to remember but… all I see is darkness. Why can't I remember a thing?

And…

Who am I?

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Dawn came up in the sky, signaled by the joyous twitting of the birds.

As the sun rose up, the rapids of the Dewdrop Falls returned to its powerful flow.

And this seemed to have woken the guy up.

He slowly opened his eyes and sat up. He must have fallen asleep worrying about things.

He rubbed his eyes. Why was everything so hazy? It was like his eyes were not clear or something.

A yawn jolted him from his deep thought. He looked at the still sleepy boy stretching his arms.

The boy walked unsteadily towards the river and splashed some water on his face. After he was done, he went back to where the guy was waiting.

"Sorry… I had to keep myself awake…"

The guy couldn't find the words to speak so he just nodded. However, he was surprised when he suddenly crouches down beside him and looks straight into his own eyes with an innocent look.

He felt himself blush. 'Wh-what is he staring at?'

Though, he had to admit, this person who saved him looked really innocent staring like that.

He said, "Is your eyesight faulty?"

'Huh?'

"You're constantly blinking and you seem to squint a lot… So do you?"

He blinked and knew that he was right. So he replied, "Yes…"

"Okay… Wait here for a little while! I'll be right back!" He dashed off leaving the guy behind.

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Ryoma smirked. He took out his pendant but suddenly realized that it was now morning.

Looks like he had to make an exception today.

He took out his necklace and grasped it in his hand. It began glowing inside and he felt himself cringe a bit but he endured it. After the light died, he opened his hand and there beside his pendant were glasses.

This was how his gem worked. When it is nighttime, it will function by reflecting and using the moon's light. But during the day, it was practically an ordinary jewel. In order for it to work during the day, he had to sacrifice his own energy.

Not wanting to waste time, he hurried back near Dewdrop Falls, where the guy was staring at the rapids.

Hurriedly, he jammed the glasses onto the guy's head. "How's this?"

The guy blushed when Ryoma suddenly shoved the glasses towards his face but he quickly tried to get rid of it by testing the glasses. "It's fine."

Ryoma studied the guy further. He had dark brown hair and brown eyes under the glasses he created. He was wearing a white collared and long sleeved vest that had rips in some parts, black pants with red stripes on the side and dark brown shoes.

However, what made Ryoma stunned was the fact that the guy had no gemstone.

'But… it's a necessity! And each person receives one. Why doesn't he have one? Shoot. Now I can't tell which kingdom he came from…'

He shook his head to clear his thoughts, as the guy was looking at him confusedly. "What is your name?"

'My name…?'

He racked his brains but there was only darkness.

"I… I don't know…"

Ryoma raised an eyebrow. 'Amnesia? Must have hit his head hard when he dropped down Dewdrop Falls…' "Don't you remember anything?"

He shook his head.

"I see… Well, in that case… it will be hard for me not to call you by a name… so… can I call you… Tezuka?" he fidgeted slightly.

'Tezuka?'

Ryoma's eyes darted from side to side shyly.

He smiled. "Okay. You can call me that while I still can't remember… What about yours?"

"Ryoma."

"Ah… Ryoma. It's nice to meet you."

"A-ah… All right then… But…"

"What is it?" Tezuka asked.

"What about your memories? Won't you rather stay here?"

Tezuka frowned. "I'm sorry but I can't accept your offer. I have to go back to where I came from." He stood up.

"Huh? Where are you going?"

"On a journey to find out where I came from."

A brief period of silence ensued before Ryoma spoke up again.

"Can… Can I go with you?"

Tezuka looked at Ryoma almost immediately in surprise. He replied politely, "It will be bothersome for you…"

"No, I don't mind. I stay here in the forest alone anyway…"

'Alone?' "But…"

"Don't worry, I'll be fine."

Tezuka gave a sigh. "If you say so."

Ryoma's face brightened up a bit at that. "Really?"

"Yes."

"Thanks. You see, I haven't been to anywhere except this forest…" 'And people always drive me away…'

The two began their journey…

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But first, in order to get going, they needed supplies and they had to pass through a certain village kingdom in front of a mountain.

Ryoma frowned. Why did he need to go through it again?

When the two reached the place, it was bustling with people going on about their daily work. At the sight of Ryoma, however, many froze. Some even dropped what they were carrying.

Tezuka raised an eyebrow. 'What's going on?'

Ryoma sighed.

The elder of the village approached them, frowning. He looked at Ryoma and said, "What are you doing back here in the Turquoise Kingdom?"

"Just passing by with someone…" he turned to Tezuka.

Someone shouted, "Sure you didn't curse him?"

Ryoma frowned. "If I cursed him, would he still be alive?" He gave an exaggerated sigh. "Can you now let us pass through or do we all have to stand like this till sunset?"

Tezuka had no idea what was going on though one thing was for sure: Ryoma was in bad terms with the people here.

"Don't let us stop you," the elder said before turning away. Everyone returned to their work.

Ryoma walked towards some stalls to buy things. He had a clear path because people were avoiding him like he was the plague.

'What's going on here?'

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Later as they reached the boundary exit of Turquoise Kingdom, Ryoma had a bag behind him loaded with things.

They were walking away from the place; Ryoma walked ahead with Tezuka behind him.

Tezuka asked, "What was the name of that place?"

"Turquoise Kingdom," Ryoma answered.

"…I hate to pry… but is there any particular reason why those villagers hate you?"

"Long story… but if you really want to know, it's because they think I'm cursed…"

"Cursed?"

"Yeah. To be honest, I came from that village…"

"But… why do you live alone? What about your parents?"

"They're… dead. And the villagers certainly don't want to be cursed."

"Is this the reason why you're so eager to go with me on a journey?"

Ryoma stopped in his tracks, seemingly in deep thought. Tezuka followed suit as he waited for an answer.

Turning back to him, Ryoma replied, "THAT's half of the reason…"

"What about the other half?"

Ryoma smirked slightly as he resumed walking. "THAT ONE… is a secret…"

Tezuka sighed as he ran to catch up with Ryoma.

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Meanwhile, on top of a tree near the road Ryoma and Tezuka were walking…

A short figure stood there but he was well-camouflaged by the shadows of the leaves.

He looked stunned at what he saw. 'HE's… still alive!? How could he have survived that!?'

He frowned. 'There's no time to waste. I've got to report this…' he muttered as he jumped away.

To be continued…

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**Whew! I've finished 2****nd**** chapter just in time. How was it?**

**Can you take a guess on the names of the other kingdoms now? (winks)**

**Why was the surname not included? Find out in the later chapters the exact reason why! (Clue: It applies specifically to Tezuka)**

**Thank you for reading and reviewing the story!**

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**---Messages to Reviewers:**

**--abhorsen3**

**-**Yeah, well, the villagers will get what they deserve soon… (Cackles) I wanted to hug Ryoma too! Yup, you got that right, look above!

--**squishy the jellyfish**

-That counts for eternity (Grins). And did you really recommend my story? Thanks!

--**buchouslvr**

**-**Okay! Thanks!

--**kyuubi846**

**-**Thanks! Here's the update!

--**pickles4ever**

-Thank you!

--**Squirrelpelt**

**-**Thanks! And your vote wins!

--**lollyflop**

**-**Thanks!

--**IceCreamXD**

**-**Oh… It's too bad but Pillar Pair wins. I hope you still read it though.

--**SakuraTamao**

-Pillar Pair wins by majority though I hope you still read the story.

--**blood red tensai**

**-**That's odd… I thought Atobe was Oct. 4 and Tezuka was Oct. 7?

--**selyn**

**-**Thanks! Sorry though that Pillar Pair wins by majority but I hope you still read the story.

--**Viner**

**-**Haha… Okay, here it is!

--**Smiley1**

**-**Luckily, I don't need a guilt trip because Pillar Pair wins!

--**FlAmEsOfDeSiReS**

**-**Don't know how to make OT3, sorry. Don't worry, Tezuka and Fuji were both meant to be in the story. What I couldn't decide was who to pair with Ryoma.

--**Tsubame0104**

**-**Thanks! Oh… Pillar Pair wins but I hope you still read this.

--**Mage Firestorm**

**-**Okay.

--**Snow lady**

**-**Yup! Pillar Pair wins!

--**liar-just-a-liar**

**-**Thanks!

--**Kali, smrtangel, EmptyAnne, Hello.**

**-**Pillar Pair wins… but I hope you still read it!

--**lazy didn't wanna log in**

-Okay… Here it is!

--**Jose'ma**

**-**Really? Thank you! And this is Pillar Pair for sure so I hope you'll read it!

--**just a gal**

-Ya-ha! Lucky! Your vote is in!

--**PoTGurlZ**

**-**I hope you still read this despite the fact that this is Pillar Pair now.

--**ILOVEPOT!!!!**

- (Stares blankly) WHOA!?

--**Silent Valley**

**-**Yup! Here!

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**Okay… So we now have our pairing: PILLAR PAIR. Expect lots of moments in the upcoming chapters! And let us solve the mystery of the Blue Moon!  
**

**See ya in the next chapter!**

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	3. Land of Vitality: Topaz Kingdom

(Sigh) I knew many people would get confused

Hi everyone! Crys is here again!

Sorry for not updating so much, training takes the heck out of me. Yeah, so… I only have a short break to update this chapter now.

I think I should clear up a few things.

EVERY CHARACTER HERE WILL BE KNOWN BY THEIR FIRST NAME. The reason why has something to do with the plot of the story. Everyone, that is, except Tezuka, as of now. Please, just wait for the plotline to develop and you will know why.

Well, get it now? Let's get on with the story!

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**Bold- **English

_Italics-_ Flashback

'Dialogue'- Thoughts

"Dialogue"- Spoken Dialogue

Disclaimer: I don't own Prince of Tennis.

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**Blue Moon: Legend of the Curse Chronicles**

**CHAPTER 3: Land of Vitality: Topaz Kingdom**

Ryoma gave an exhausted sigh as he wiped his brow. Sweat poured down from his face like bullets.

"It's so hot…"

It was true. As he and Tezuka walked down a seemingly empty road, the sun bore down ruthlessly upon them. There were no clouds in the sky, just the huge, flaming sun.

Furthermore, they were walking on a straight road that seemed as if it will go on forever. There were no trees, not even a single plant in place.

'What the heck is this place anyway?' Ryoma wondered.

They've been treading this path for hours and still, no village or kingdom was in sight.

'When will we ever get there? I feel so hot and tired…'

He then looked at his companion who was walking beside him. Tezuka seemed to be sweating from the heat as much as he does but doesn't show any signs of weariness at all.

Ryoma felt the color rising to his cheeks and quickly looked down on the ground. 'Wh-what's this feeling…?'

"Ryoma…" Tezuka's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

"What is it?"

"… I see a village in the distance."

Ryoma tiptoed and saw that he was right. Well, obviously Tezuka was taller than him so he could have easily seen it from the distance they were in. He wouldn't have been able to see the village if he hadn't tiptoed. Yes, he was small that way that, sometimes, he wondered if his lack of height was part of his curse.

However, the intense heat of the sun took away the joy of the seeing the village looming ahead. It almost seemed like the sun was draining away his vitality, in Ryoma's opinion.

After a bit of walking, the village was now clear in Ryoma's eyes. But by now he felt unusually tired and hot, it was beyond normal.

And just when he felt that he was collapse from severe abnormal exhaustion, Ryoma found himself standing in front of the village's entrance.

'Huh? When did I get here? I didn't notice…'

However, just from the view from the village entrance, Ryoma was already breathless from the beauty of it.

The houses were neatly lined up. They appeared like cottages and each one had a flower garden. Butterflies fluttered to and fro. It was a sight to behold.

And that sight, somehow, took all of Ryoma's exhaustion away.

As he tried to get a better view however, he found his line of vision blocked by a boy with red hair and who had a plaster on his face.

'Eh!?'

"Hoi, hoi, nya! Welcome to Topaz Kingdom!" he shouted, full of energy.

When his dark blue eyes alighted on Ryoma, he yelled, "Eh!? Are you new visitors here nya?"

Ryoma sweatdropped. Who the heck was this guy? And why was he adding "nya" to his sentences? Is he a cat or something?

"Eiji!" Someone from inside the village was shouting.

The red-haired guy looked behind him. A guy with brown hair was running, approaching.

"Ah! Takashi! We have visitors, nya!"

The guy called Takashi smiled. "Really?" He then turned to Tezuka and Ryoma. "Welcome to Topaz Kingdom! I know you're probably tired after treading the Lethargy Road…"

"Huh? Lethargy Road?" Ryoma cut him off.

"That was the straight road that you just passed through," he pointed. "Although it seems a very weird name for a path, it's been called that because the road is wide and long. Furthermore, during the day, it's unusually hot and at night, it will be freezing cold. It somehow drains the energy of the people."

"Ah… Is that so?"

"Yup! Because of that, we here in Topaz dedicate ourselves to cheering people up! That's why Topaz Kingdom is known as the 'Land of Vitality' nya!"

"He's right! You're lucky you survived the Lethargy Road! You really are lucky!" A newcomer with orange hair appeared.

"Kiyosumi-chan!" Eiji glomped on him.

"A-aaahh… Eiji!"

"Hey, you guys…" Another new guy with blue purplish hair appeared. "How long are you going to keep the visitors waiting in front of the gate? You know that's rude and also, they might be tired after traversing through the Lethargy Road. That's not good for the health. Why is Lethargy road named like that anyway? And who could have named it like that? It's probably someone who was so tired that they named it with the first thing that came to their mind…"

Ryoma sweatdropped. Who the heck was this guy that he can ramble on endlessly?

"A-aah… Sh-shinji…" Takashi tried to calm the mumbling guy.

Kiyosumi laughed nervously before turning to Tezuka and Ryoma. "Well, come in, come in…"

Tezuka stepped forward but Ryoma said, "Wait a moment, I've got to fix something…"

Tezuka arched an eyebrow, wondering what Ryoma was going to do. The boy quickly ran behind a tree that was near the gates.

After a few minutes, he emerged and joined the group.

"What did you do there, Ochibi?" Eiji asked.

"Nothing. H-huh? O-ochibi?" Ryoma asked, surprised.

Takashi laughed. "Oh, it's just Eiji's habit. He likes giving nicknames to people."

"Eh…"

"Well, let's go!" Kiyosumi beckoned to everyone.

Ryoma studied the inhabitants of Topaz Kingdom. They were all wearing pendants that had a yellow gem hanging off.

'That must be the Topaz jewel…' Ryoma thought.

They all walked down the middle road of the Topaz Kingdom. Indeed, everything was lively and lovely. It almost seemed like a paradise.

However, Tezuka's attention was not focused on the surroundings at all, rather it was on Ryoma.

Specifically, Ryoma's now black eyes.

'When did he…? I'm sure they were golden before…'

Tezuka was so engrossed in his deep thoughts he did not notice the object of his thoughts tapping him on the shoulder.

"Tezuka…"

"…"

"Tezuka…"

"…"

"Tezuka! We've arrived!" Ryoma raised his voice.

"Huh?" Tezuka finally turned his attention to the building in front of him. It was an inn.

"Well, that's where you can stay for the night! Don't worry, my good friend Kuwahara's family manages it!" Eiji chattered excitedly.

"But… It's still early!" Ryoma grumbled as he glared at Eiji. "It's only afternoon!"

Eiji sweatdropped. "I didn't say that you have to go in there right now! I only said that you can stay there for the night!"

Now it was Ryoma's turn to sweatdrop. Uhh… Why did he have a sudden outburst like that? Maybe what Eiji said was true, this place was indeed the Land of Vitality, because he was just bursting with energy. He covered up his embarrassment with a cough then he said, "Fine. But Tezuka here and I want to look around the town for a while. We'll just come back here tonight."

Kiyosumi shrugged. "If you say so."

And the four Topaz boys left leaving Tezuka and Ryoma alone.

Tezuka spoke first, "Ryoma… your eyes…"

"Ah. Well, I used my powers to make contacts to cover up the color of my real eyes. Revealing their real color would give away who I am and we'll probably be kicked out so I'm taking precautions. Though I really hate wearing contacts, I'd hate it more if we're thrown out of this place."

"I see…"

"Anyway, let's get back to what we came here for. So… do you recognize this place? Does it strike something in your memory?"

Tezuka took a good look at his surroundings. The vibrant color of the lush greenery reflected the soft glow of the sun while the sturdy cottages were lined up on the side of the road. He tried to rack his brains for something that might be familiar but there was only darkness.

"No, I can't remember anything, sorry."

"It's not your fault. Hmm… Looks like there isn't anything we can do here… Let's just stay here for the night and then leave for tomorrow."

"All right."

But as they started to walk, Ryoma's pendant, which was inside his shirt, started glowing.

"Huh?" Ryoma took a good look around him to make sure nobody besides him and Tezuka were around and after making sure, he took out his necklace.

Tezuka stared, perplexed at Ryoma's pendant. It had glowed brighter.

Ryoma was also as bewildered as Tezuka at the sight of his brightly shining jewel. However, what was odd was the light the pendant was emitting turned into a streak of light that pointed towards the far North.

'What the-? Is my pendant trying to show me… something?'

Curious, Ryoma followed the trail, with Tezuka beside him.

They walked continuously for quite a while, the light showed no signs of ending. However, the light finally stopped in front of a fenced shrine.

The huge shrine was made out of pale yellow stones. It was shaped like a dome. There were sturdy looking metallic double doors that blocked the front of the shrine.

Tezuka murmured, "What is this place?"

Ryoma was about to answer Tezuka but he was startled when his pendant shone its brightest, engulfing him in golden light. What was weird about this was the fact that it was day and it was certainly odd for it to release such intense energy during the day without sapping his energy.

In his mind's vision, he could see the inside of the shrine. There was a large yellow jewel spinning rapidly in the middle of a spacious room. It seemed to be flashing on and off.

'There's something wrong with the jewel!' Ryoma exclaimed in his mind.

That sudden thought snapped Ryoma back to reality. His pendant stopped glowing. He looked at Tezuka, who was staring at him worriedly.

Tezuka asked, "Are you all right, Ryoma? You suddenly started glowing in a golden light and then you seemed to have gone in a trance… Your eyes became completely golden…"

"I'm fine,Tezuka…" Ryoma said as he blushed a bit at his companion's worry over him. "I just had… well… a vision."

"A vision?"

"Yes. Inside this shrine is a huge yellow jewel. It bears a striking resemblance to the pendants of the people we met earlier. I can only assume that it's the main jewel that this Kingdom is based on."

"The main jewel?"

"Ah. Sorry, I didn't tell you about this back then. All the kingdoms have a main jewel that is like a distinction of each kingdom from another. It is also where the pendants are gotten from. Every time a new person is born in a kingdom, the main jewel creates a pendant copy of itself. Back in Turquoise, there is also a place like this, though we didn't have time to visit it."

"Ah. So what did you see about it?"

"There's… something wrong with it…" Ryoma trailed off.

"Something wrong?"

"Yes. That's why, I have to go in and check it out!" Ryoma started walking towards the double doors.

Tezuka ran to catch up with him. "Wait! Let me come with you."

Ryoma nodded.

When they reached the doors, Ryoma pushed them back. Silent darkness greeted them, to be replaced in a little while by tiny flickering lights.

The two entered the shrine.

Meanwhile, outside the shrine, a dark figure watched the two boys enter the shrine from behind a tree. He then smirked evilly and mysteriously.

To be continued…

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**Ayah! All done! What do you think?**

**You know, this fanfic has lots of references to… gems. Yes, if you still don't get it. Remember that the previous kingdom was Turquoise and this was Topaz. Those are birthstones, are they not? And also, you notice the PoT characters that live in Topaz Kingdom (Kikumaru, Kawamura, Ibu and Sengoku) all have birthdays in November which is the month that has Topaz as the birthstone. So you might just have the tiniest idea of what the other places will be and who will be in them. **

**And also Topaz and Citrine, the November birthstones, signify vitality and health, thus the reason why Topaz Kingdom is like that.**

**Thank you for reading and reviewing the story!  
**

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**--Messages to Reviewers:**

**--squishy the jellyfish**

**-**Of course! Thanks for reading and reviewing!

--**blood red tensai**

**-**The answer to that is above…

--**shannon**

**-**Too bad your vote was late. If your vote counted, Pillar and Thrill would have tied. But still I hope you read this despite Pillar winning.

--**catmum56**

**-**I'm sorry I forgot to put the explanation for that in the previous chapter. Look above for my late explanation.

--**FlAmEsOfDeSiReS**

**-**Yeah, I know, they are paranoid… And no, Fuji's not a bad guy… If he was, I wouldn't have initially put him up for pairings. No he's not going to be with either because that would disturb the Pillar Pair action. And I'm not sure about putting Yukimura with him. The plot might not permit it. Tsubasa Chronicles? I've watched it. I may not have noticed but it does resemble this story…

And yes, I've read your reviews for my other stories. I'm glad you liked them!

About Tezuka's name… well, please look above for the explanation.

--**just a gal**

- (sweatdrop) Uhh… Yeah, maybe they are too paranoid… Ehehehe… Yes, he does have amnesia…

--**Tsubame0104**

**-**Really? I'm glad! Some of the Thrill Pair voters didn't come back… I think…. Or maybe they just didn't review but still read the story.

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**Well, this chapter might be a bit confusing, especially about using the first names of the characters. But remember, this HAS something to do with the plot of the story.**

**See ya in the next chapter!**

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	4. An Injured Jewel

Hi to all

Hi to all!

It's Crys here as usual.

**But since school is nearing (again), I fear that this could be the last mass update for a while. No, it doesn't mean that I'll stop updating. It just means that I'll only be able to update 1 or 2 stories per week or maybe even every other week.**

**However, I'll give you readers a choice. Would you rather want…**

**Option A: I'll update every week or every other week but only 1 or 2 stories will be updated. Plus I won't update the same story per week. For example, if I update this story, it won't be updated again till I've updated all my other stories so if you're really a fan of only one of my stories, updates will be quite a while.**

**Option B: I'll type all the updates of all my stories up first then release all of them (most likely once a month or twice a month if I'm lucky) in a mass update. But then that would be a REALLY long wait for the impatient people. However, those who are fans of many stories would get to read them all in one go.**

**So… There are the two options. Please tell me in your review which option you would prefer. It will help me in planning out my typings.**

Many of you figured out already about the birthstones. Hahaha… It was too obvious, wasn't it?

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**Bold- **English

_Italics-_ Flashback

'Dialogue'- Thoughts

"Dialogue"- Spoken Dialogue

Disclaimer: I don't own Prince of Tennis.

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**Blue Moon: Legend of the Curse Chronicles**

**CHAPTER 4: An "Injured" Jewel**

The Topaz Kingdom was indeed, the liveliest kingdom out of all the 12 kingdoms of Dodewel.

Set out in the wide plains, Topaz was neither too majestic nor too run-down. Flowering chrysanthemums (1) decorated the fields, giving one the impression that the said place was a flowers' paradise. And with lots of flowers come an almost equal number of fluttering butterflies that flitted to and fro, almost as if cultivating the flowers themselves.

Of course, there were trees too. Tall majestic ones towered over the fields, with branches spread out widely, creating a perfect spot to lie down and rest.

As such, the cottages neatly lined to make a pathway further flaunted the natural dynamism of Topaz Kingdom.

But today was not normal. No butterflies can be spotted and a strong ominous wind blew across the place. Dark forbidding clouds covered the clear blue sky.

This has never happened in the history of Topaz Kingdom before.

Several villagers came out of their houses, including Eiji and Takashi.

Eiji shielded his eyes with his arm to prevent the dust blown by the gale. "What's happening, Takashi nya?"

Takashi replied, "Sorry, Eiji, but I don't know what's happening either."

Just then, Kiyosumi and Shinji came running over to them. The orange-haired teen shouted, "Oi! Eiji! Takashi!"

"Kiyosumi! Shinji! What is it?" Takashi asked.

"Do you know what's happening?"

"Nya… We don't know either, Kiyo-chan…" Eiji frowned.

Shinji mumbled, "This has never happened in Topaz before. Is it a storm? This isn't good. The sky is dark. Why are there so many dark clouds above us? And the wind is blowing too hard too. It's making my hair fly towards my face and irritate my eyes. It's very annoying. Let's all just go back to our houses now or go to Kuwahara's inn. Speaking of Kuwahara, he told me that those two visitors we greeted earlier haven't come inside the inn yet…" he trailed off when Eiji interrupted.

"What did you just say nya?"

"Do I have to repeat myself again? Perhaps you can't hear me over this strange strong wind? Is it blocking your ears? Is it…"

"SHINJI! Just tell me what Kuwahara said nya!"

"Tch. Fine. He said that those two visitors haven't gone to his inn yet…"

Takashi's eyes widened. "Then that means they're still wandering around? Perhaps they got lost?"

"Well, whatever, let's just find them," Kiyosumi suggested.

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Outside the shrine…

The mysterious figure carefully scanned the place and after making sure the coast was clear, dashed towards the entrance of the shrine. He tried to open the double doors but found out that he couldn't. Not even when he tried to use his blackish-red pendant.

'How come that kid was able to open the doors almost effortlessly? Perhaps it requires immense power to open the doors,' he pondered. 'Hmm…'

He dug deep into his pocket and pulled out another necklace with a jewel strikingly similar to Ryoma's except that there was no orb floating inside and that 11 of the tips had tiny different colored beads. 'Good thing HE lent me this…'

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_**In a very dark place before…**_

_**The mysterious figure stood in front of another darkness-clouded person. "Take my pendant. Use it when you need it."**_

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He smirked. That guy really knew what he was doing. Removing the blackish-red pendant from his neck, he inputted power on the 12-pointed star and it glowed, not in a golden light, but in a glow similar to his pendant. He held it out to the door and as if a very strong force was pushing, the doors opened creakily.

Calmly, he stowed the dimming pendant back in his pocket and proceeded inside.

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Ryoma gazed at the stone walls of the shrine. Actually, it was his first time inside a main jewel shrine. Intricate carvings adorned the walls and around the pillars supporting the structure. All in a shining yellow hue.

Back in Turquoise, he knew where the shrine was. It was located in the northwestern section of the kingdom. However, it wasn't set in a very secluded place like this one in Topaz. Furthermore, it was guarded and the elder was always seen there. No one was allowed to enter the shrine.

He wondered why the shrine needed guarding when in reality; no one can open the doors anyway. Not even if the people all used their pendants. According to the elder, it was because the shrine was a holy place. Every time there was a newborn, a pendant would be seen shining and passing through the doors before dropping to the ground in front of the doors.

So, he wondered, how come he was able to open the doors so easily? Were the guards and the elder lying? If so, why?

And what happened to the jewel of the Topaz Kingdom?

Deep inside, he felt that all the answers were at the end of this straightforward, narrow corridor that seemed to go on forever.

He was interrupted from his train of thoughts when he noticed that he and Tezuka have arrived in front of another set of huge double doors. It was completely covered by strange interconnected lines. It also seemed dusty and there was some strange engraving that was cut half by the gap in the middle of the doors. It was barely readable but even so, it seemed to be from some sort of ancient language that neither Tezuka nor Ryoma could comprehend.

"What is this? I can't understand it…" Ryoma said as he touched the etching on the doors.

"It's probably an old language," Tezuka said, pushing his glasses up.

"Yeah, but even so, does it have anything to do with opening the door?" Ryoma asked. He pushed the door with all his might but it wouldn't budge. 'Strange…'

"What shall we do now?" Tezuka asked.

"I don't know…"

An eerie silence passed over them.

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Meanwhile, outside…

The winds have turned harsh, almost uprooting several trees. More dark clouds blanketed the sky and this time, lightning flashed across the heavens and thunder resonated.

Leaves flew everywhere and littered the pathways. Chrysanthemum stalks can be seen too.

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Ryoma and Tezuka remained in silence, thinking of how to open the doors.

'Ryoma…'

The golden-eyed boy jerked almost immediately. A voice?

He turned to Tezuka. "Did you hear that?"

"Huh? Hear what?"

"A voice?"

"Voice? What voice?"

"You mean you can't hear it?"

"What are you talking about?"

So Tezuka can't hear it? Ryoma listened intently, checking if he was just imagining it or not.

And this time…

'Ryoma…'

He heard it clearly. Someone was indeed calling him. But who was it? It seemed unfamiliar.

'Ryoma… Help me…'

The voice seemed to belong to a young girl. It had an echoing tune to it, that hearing the voice in the quiet shrine sent shivers up Ryoma's spine.

'Who… who are you?' Ryoma asked, unsure, in his mind.

The voice replied. 'I am… Topaz.'

"Topaz?" Ryoma blurted out.

Tezuka immediately looked at Ryoma. "Topaz?"

"Tezuka… I'm hearing a voice… It appears to be a young girl… saying that her name is Topaz…"

"Can you see her?"

"No…"

'Ryoma… Use your pendant… Help me…' The voice resonated again.

'My pendant?' Ryoma was surprised. 'But what should I do?' he thought as he took out his pendant. It wasn't glowing like before. 'What now?'

But the voice didn't respond.

Suddenly, Ryoma's pendant glowed in a soft golden light and emitted a beam towards the engraving. Slowly, the writings transformed into a language that both Ryoma and Tezuka could understand.

Tezuka read it out when the beam dissipated. "_**There was nothing. But from the nothingness came the One. The One dissolved the nothingness through itself. The half turned into twelve, and the twelve scattered.**_

_**But the One still stays and shines brighter than the twelve, and only the twelve united can be on par with the One.**_

_**Beyond these doors lies Vitality, the energy of all things, energy that gives life. Without it, one might well be just a shell. And a shell is lifeless.**_

_**Nothing and no one can witness Vitality without the permission of the One."**_

Ryoma frowned. "What does that all mean? It's so deep."

"I don't get it either," Tezuka trailed off when he noticed something. "What's this?"

"What is it?" Ryoma approached him.

"It appears to be a carved gap… where you can put something in."

Ryoma took a good look. Tezuka was right. Below the engravings appeared to be something where you can fit a shaped object.

But what made Ryoma shiver was the fact that it was in the exact shape of his pendant.

Tezuka seemed to have noticed it too, as he said, "It's… in the same form as your jewel."

Ryoma gulped as his eyes trailed back to the writings. '_**Nothing and no one can witness Vitality without the permission of the One.'**_

'What is this, "The One"?' he wondered. 'And how does my pendant fit in all of this?'

Tezuka spoke up, "Perhaps you should put your pendant there. It's probably a key of some sort."

Ryoma felt a strange pounding in his ears. He didn't know why but he felt nervous or maybe scared by the implication of the writings.

Hands slightly shaking, he removed his pendant from his neck and inserted it into the gap.

The orb inside the pendant began glowing. The light zigzagged through the doors' interconnected lines that ended back in the pendant. It shone in a very bright light that Ryoma and Tezuka had to shield their eyes. When the light died down, the two of them looked at the doors.

The pendant was bathed in a soft golden light. Seemingly with a will of its own, it removed itself from the carved hole and slowly flitted towards Ryoma's palm.

At that moment, the doors slowly opened.

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The heart of the shrine was a circular room embellished with elaborate carvings.

However what occupied the room was a huge yellow jewel that sparkled. It was a sight to behold.

Tezuka and Ryoma were speechless.

However, something strange was immediately spotted by Ryoma's golden orbs.

There was a large crack on the side of the jewel.

Just then, Ryoma heard the voice again, this time, it was clearer.

'Ryoma… Help me…'

'Where are you?' he asked in his mind.

'I am here…' she answered.

Suddenly, the Topaz jewel released a blinding flash of light.

Moments later, the Topaz jewel was nowhere to be seen. In its place stood a little girl who was completely bathed in a yellow light from head to toe. She was dressed in a plain light yellow gown that reached her bare feet. Her blonde hair was tied up in two ponytails that were adorned with tiny yellow gems. Embedded on the middle of her forehead was a shining yellow jewel. The Topaz jewel.

Her light yellow eyes scanned the room until they alighted on the shocked Ryoma.

Tezuka suddenly asked, "Ryoma, what happened? Where is the jewel?"

Ryoma turned to Tezuka, surprised. "You mean you can't see her?"

"Her?"

The girl spoke. "Save your breath, Ryoma. You are the only one who can see me." She started walking towards Ryoma. "Do you remember what was written on the doors? _**Nothing and no one can witness Vitality without the permission of the One. **_And you were the only one permitted by the One." She stopped in front of him.

"Who are you?"

"Haven't I introduced myself already? I am Topaz."

"You… You are?"

"Or would you prefer to call me by my true name, Vitality?"

"But… If no one can see you, then how come even Tezuka saw the jewel?"

The girl shook her head. "The jewel is NOT Vitality. I am Vitality."

"What do you mean?"

"The jewel is not the real me. This form is. And only you have been permission to see me. Do you get it now?"

"Oh."

Ryoma quickly turned towards Tezuka who was looking at him, confused. 'Shoot, he probably thought I was talking to myself.'

The girl smiled when she saw the expression on Ryoma's face. "Since you've been given permission by the One; that means you can give permission too. Do you want him to see me?" she said, gesturing towards Tezuka.

"Huh? How?"

She giggled. "You have to KISS him, of course. Oh, in the lips, I might add."

"What? No way!" Ryoma immediately blushed.

"Just tell him then."

And so, Ryoma narrated to Tezuka what he was seeing. The taller teen just nodded to show that he understood.

However, just as Ryoma finished telling Tezuka, the girl winced in pain and slumped towards the ground, gripping her right arm.

Ryoma quickly rushed towards her. "What's wrong?"

"I… I can't take the pain anymore…"

"What?"

"Fifteen years ago, someone managed to get permission from the One and injured me. I can't heal it using my own powers. It's more powerful than I can handle. The only thing I can do is to lessen the pain but it seems my powers have taken its toll. And it's affecting the whole kingdom."

"The kingdom?"

"T-take a look at this…" A ball of light formed on her hand, and it showed the looming disaster that was brewing in the kingdom.

Even Tezuka could see it. "Oh no…"

"That's why I need your help, Ryoma. Heal me, please…"

"But… but I don't know how to heal you."

"You can… You have to believe in the One's blessing…" she managed to say before she collapsed in pain.

"Topaz!"

At that exact moment, a giant tornado began forming at the end of the kingdom. Heavy rain began falling from the skies. The vitality was gone.

"Topaz! Get a hold of yourself!" Ryoma shook her lightly.

"What happened, Ryoma?"

"She fainted. She told me that only I can heal her but I don't know how…"

"If she told you that only you can do it, then you can. You have to believe in her and yourself Ryoma."

"But…"

"The kingdom will be destroyed if you remain unsure of yourself!"

"I…"

"In big trouble, aren't you?" someone spoke up.

Ryoma and Tezuka looked behind for the source of the voice.

Leaning against the door was a guy with purple hair and opaque glasses.

To be continued…

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**Chrysanthemums are the birth flowers of the month of November. So it's only fitting that it will be abundant in Topaz Kingdom.**

**Whew… That one turned out quite long.**

**Are you baffled by the mystery of the Blue Moon even more now? The mystery just deepens…**

**So who is the mystery guy? Is he a friend or foe? You have to wait for the next chapter to find out!  
**

**Thank you for reading and reviewing the story!  
**

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**--Messages to Reviewers:**

**--squishy the jellyfish**

-Nope! (If you read it above)

**--blood red tensai**

**-**Oishi and Eiji? I'm not sure. I was thinking on focusing on the Pillar Pair action actually. But who knows, I might… (winks)

**--Gwynhafra86**

**-**Thank you very much for reviewing!! For me, they are on equal footing when it comes to misery… Ryoma, he lost his parents early and hasn't experienced being loved and Tezuka, he lost his memories. And they're helping each other out! See, they're just meant for each other!!

**--Miyuki Meiru**

**-**Super powers? Hahaha… You might say it like that.

**--just a gal**

**-**Thank you!!

**--FlAmEsOfDeSiReS**

**-**Yes he is. Glad you liked the idea.

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**Well, I believe that the conflict in Topaz Kingdom will be solved in the next chapter…**

**See ya in the next chapter!**

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